Pavelski, who played for DeBoer for four seasons in San Jose, said the key will be transitioning to a new style, but doing it quickly and confidently.
"I think just an understanding of what we're trying to accomplish," said Pavelski, who led the Stars in scoring last season. "It's not just one or two guys going. It's all five guys on the ice, playing a little bit quicker in certain areas, stretching areas of the game out. Certain little areas and details that we're trying to accomplish out there that he sets up for us.
"I think that understanding allows you to be a little bit quicker and allows better support, at times."
The trend in the NHL is to a faster more aggressive game, and that has opened the door for younger players to step in. Dallas already has trusted players like Miro Heiskanen, 23, Jason Robertson, 23, and Roope Hintz, 25, to take over a huge part of the core of the team, and this season we could see big steps forward from Lundkvist, 23, Jacob Peterson, 23, Thomas Harley, 21, and Ty Dellandrea, 22.
In fact, the Stars could actually open the door to a couple of 19-year-old in Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven if they play well enough during the exhibition season. That's the exciting part of camp this year, and players said they could sense that from the start.
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Benn, 33, was on a line with Johnston on the first day.
"It was great," Benn said of the asignment. "You can already tell that he is well beyond his years. Smart player, sees the ice well, and not scared to make plays. It is fun to see and great to be alongside him."
That sort of discovery makes the new year energetic. Dallas made the playoffs as a wildcard team last season and lost in seven games in the first round to Calgary. They would like to place higher in the standings this season and get a better seed in the postseason.
"The last years we started a little bit slow, and then we chased a little bit and were in the wild card," said defenseman Esa Lindell. "That's something we don't want. We want to be in the top three (in the division). I thought we played really good defensively last year, and now if we improve the offense, I think it's going to make an impact."
Getting the defensemen involved in the game and increasing puck possession were two aspects of the practice Thursday, and that will continue throughout the year. DeBoer said his history is to practice with pace and create an environment where players think fast and play fast.
"We spent a lot of time on breakouts today," DeBoer said. "I think it starts there for us. If we can get out of our own zone cleaner and more often with better spacing and more possession, I think it sets up the rest of our game."
